


A Close Shave

by greglet



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 19:06:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7476234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greglet/pseuds/greglet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Jim sees Leonard, and then the first time he sees him ready for Starfleet.</p><p>--<br/>Written for the McKirkBeyond Promptfest on fuckyeahkirk-mccoy.tumblr.com for the prompt 'First Meetings'</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Close Shave

On the shuttle, Leonard didn’t even pick up how brusque he was being to Jim. Fiercely leaning over towards him to strap himself in, pulling the straps roughly, adjusting himself harshly against the seat - if he was going up in this shuttle he was going to be plastered to this chair. He introduced himself in thick curls of his undiluted and unchallenged Georgia accent, one he had been surrounded by until only recently. Jim introduced himself more calmly but there was heavy curiosity in his flaring blues. The drink Leonard had procured came from the hip flask in his boots - Starfleet might have all the tech in the world, but the shuttle staff weren’t ones for groping in boots in search of frowned upon shuttle hand luggage. Whether it was the searching stare from his seatmate or the familiar sting of the good whisky he knew he would need for the journey, he became less jittery and even managed to bypass his usual whiteknuckle approach to take off. 

The rest of the journey was a mix of quiet conversation and flashbacks to the prayers his gran taught him on Sundays. If there was a God, they might not be wanting to talk to Leonard after what he had done, but he still tried on the downward jumps of turbulence.

“Like I said, I think these things are pretty safe, man.” Jim tried to reassure him, but Leonard didn’t know the man well enough to be sure if he was trying to radiate his calm or if he was just trying to get through a shuttle ride with an awkward companion. 

“Yeah, I bet.” Leonard muttered, his eyes still shut. When the shuttle evened out again, he raised a hand to run over the beard he had been neglecting. The idea of a long shower and a shave after the hellish journey was like an oasis on the horizon, he just hoped it would feel as rewarding as it sounded. 

“So, what level you going in at?” Jim looked over, still looking at him like an enigma to be solved. 

“Well, medical - I know that much at least, as for level, I don’t know where they’d rank me.” Leonard shrugged, he had just the most basic idea of what was lying ahead of him on this path from the brochures and comm’s he had been sent. “Guess that’s why I’m lookin’ at a shit load of tests after induction.” 

“Same here, they don’t know where I’d go - but I’ll be on command.” Jim said with a flip of his hand, like he was brushing it off as trivial while the edge in his voice betrayed him. Leonard eyed him, catching on to the veil of serenity Jim was wearing after Leonard quietly had a moment of clarity in realising just who he was sitting beside. 

By the time they were landing and Leonard’s head was between his knees, he had written Jim off as a face to nod at in passing since they most likely wouldn’t be in any shared classes. When they were on solid ground, watching the empty shuttle lift off again, Leonard turned to shake Jim’s hand in goodbye when Jim ignored it. 

“No, I got induction now, too, in the Boman Suite, right?” Jim stepped back, and pointed a thumb over his shoulder, “I got sent a map, it’s this way, Bones.” 

“Bones? What do you mean ‘bones’?” Leonard stepped with him, shuffling his bag over his shoulder, his brow dipped in wait for an explanation while Jim laughed. 

“Y’know, ‘ _All ah gut left is muh bones_ ’ - you’re Bones.” Jim nudged his arm as they walked, a shining grin at his lips. 

“I sure as hell ain’t - it’s Leonard _McCoy_.” Leonard reiterated, heavy stress on his surname that most people he knew used. 

“Alright, Leonard _McCoy_.” Jim laughed again, slapping a hand over Leonard’s shoulder, reassuring him that, for one, Jim Kirk was not going to be written off as a passing familiar face, and for another, ‘Bones’ was still in play. 

#

By the time they had been released from the slow torture that was their induction it was well beyond a suitable time for dinner, but with his dorm void of food, he had no choice but to go in search of something edible. In dumping his one bag in his room, he was pleased to find he had somehow graciously been given one to himself while Jim, less fortunately, had been thrown in with a few others - much to his clear irritation. Jim’s annoyance at his dorm situation was written all over his face when they met again in the mess, picking at leftovers in the mostly empty hall. 

They didn’t take long over dinner, mostly since there wasn’t much left to have at ten o’clock, and left each other with a handshake and another slap to Leonard’s shoulder. Leonard almost managed an appreciative nod of his head when Jim sounded out his surname rather than that stupid nickname, but Leonard faltered when Jim’s lips upturned into a smirk and said it anyway before he bounded off. Rolling his eyes alone in a hallway wasn’t a good look for anyone, but particularly not for someone who was the definition of ‘unkempt’ as he caught a glance of himself in some glass. 

Making his way back to his dorm, he pressed in his code and dumped his jacket over the single bed against the wall. He routed through his bag for his toiletries, setting them out around his sink before he turned on the hot water and let the steam rise for a few moments. His shower was indistinct and therefore disappointing after what he had been hoping for back in the shuttle, but following his shave and a fixing of his hair, he did feel a little more ready to face whatever was waiting for him the following day. 

# 

His morning had started with a comm from the admissions office, asking him to report there first before he sat any of his exams. He was glad that he had woken up so early and managed to be dressed in those cadet reds, have his hair straightened out and had first picks at the mess before being a few minutes early to the office. Still, he was beaten by Jim who was sitting on the row of chairs just outside the room. Leonard went to join him, sitting next to him with a nod of his head, getting a ‘mornin’ in return. 

“How was your first night? Roommates alright?” Leonard asked, trying to keep the smirk out his voice over his lack of roommates. 

“Oh, yeah, fine, I guess we’ll just have to get used to it.” Jim replied, missing the vibrance in the conversation he had picked up after a few hours on the shuttle - or maybe Leonard had picked him up wrong. 

“When’s your first test?” 

“Not for another hour - you got tests, too?” Jim glanced towards him and there didn’t seem to be any recognition, just a recoil at Leonard’s worried and confused examination. 

“Did you drink a bar, kid? We talked about this yesterday-” Leonard shook his head, his medical training having him running a visual examination over pupil dilation, skin colour, and maybe the bags under Jim’s impressive blue eyes weren’t critical, but he could use a few extra hours. Jim’s brow creased as Leonard’s eyes ran over his face before Jim turned towards him, alarming recognition lifting his brows into his hairline. 

“ _Bones?_ Holy _shit_ -” 

“What did I say about the Bones thing?” Leonard’s spike in irritation was ignored as Jim’s hand raised to Leonard’s hair, his face almost in awe. 

“Jesus, Bones, I didn’t even recognise you - you clean up _good_ , I had no idea who you were… you don’t even look like the same person-” Jim was still in shock when Leonard got called into the office and was still sitting when he got out. “I mean, you even look taller, God, Bones, listen, I’m sorry - you should’ve said something-” 

“Like, 'remember me from _yesterday_ '? Didn’t think I had to, Jim.” Leonard raised his arms from his side in a lazy shrug as Jim was called into the office. 

“Wait for me, I won’t be long, okay?” 

“I can’t, my test is in twenty minutes, but I’ll see you around, kid.” 

“Alright - don’t go changing on me again - see you later, Bones.” Jim ducked into the office and had the door shut behind him before Leonard could gripe over the nickname. Still, he left for his test with a small smirk at his lips. It had been a while since his ego had been brushed like that, and he appreciated it coming from someone like Jim. It had also given him some perspective on how he had presented himself yesterday, but that’s what this change was for - to become better than his past self. His past self might have been a little shabby, but Starfleet Leonard was cleanly shaven, clean hair parted, and ready for a few challenges - Jim Kirk included.

**Author's Note:**

> Something very short and very quick to fulfil the prompt on the fuckyeahkirk-mccoy.tumblr.com #mckirkbeyond prompt fest on tumblr. The prompt was "First Times", so I guess having two first time meets might qualify.


End file.
